Tinubu seeks amendment to prisoner-transfer law to enable convicts to serve sentences at home

From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to amend Nigeria’s prisoner-transfer law to enable Nigerians convicted in foreign countries to serve their sentences at home, including under agreements with countries outside the Commonwealth.

The proposed amendment would also allow foreign nationals convicted in Nigeria to be transferred to their home countries to serve their sentences, subject to the terms of applicable agreements.

Tinubu’s request is contained in the Transfer of Convicted Offenders (Enactment and Enforcement) Amendment Bill, 2026, transmitted to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, for legislative consideration.

The president’s letter was read by Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday.

In the letter, Tinubu said the bill seeks to amend the Transfer of Convicted Offenders Enactment and Enforcement Act, Cap. T16, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to give effect to agreements between Nigeria and other countries on the transfer of convicted offenders.

“The Transfer of Convicted Offenders Enactment and Enforcement Amendment Bill 2026 seeks to amend the Transfer of Convicted Offenders Enactment and Enforcement Act, Act Cap 216, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004, to give effect to the provisions of any scheme or agreement for the transfer of convicted offenders between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the government of any other country,” Mr Tinubu said.

He said the proposed legislation would empower the Federal Government to enter into agreements with other countries for the transfer of convicted offenders to Nigeria and enable the country to honour similar requests from foreign governments.

The president added that the bill would empower him to extend the application of the law to any country with which Nigeria had entered into a prisoner-transfer agreement through an order published in the Federal Gazette.

According to him, the amendment would facilitate the implementation of agreements with countries outside the Commonwealth, expanding the legal framework for the transfer of convicted offenders.

“While it is my hope that the Senate will consider this submission expeditiously, please accept, Distinguished Senate President and Distinguished Senators, the assurances of my highest consideration,” Tinubu wrote.

The bill was transmitted pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution, with the president urging the Senate to consider it expeditiously.

Akpabio referred the request to the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance to commence the legislative process and report back within one week.

Among Nigerians convicted abroad are former Delta State Governor James Ibori, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison in the United Kingdom in 2012 after pleading guilty to money laundering offences. He was released in 2016.

Former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison in the UK in 2023 for his role in an organ-trafficking conspiracy involving a young man.

Similarly, Abidemi Rufai, a former aide to Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, was sentenced to five years in prison in the United States in 2022 for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Nigeria and the United Kingdom already have a prisoner-transfer agreement that allows eligible prisoners to serve their sentences in their home countries, subject to the applicable conditions and the consent of both governments.

However, the existing legal framework has limited the implementation of similar arrangements with countries outside the Commonwealth.

The proposed amendment seeks to address this limitation by providing a legal basis for extending prisoner-transfer arrangements to other countries.

If passed, the legislation would not automatically entitle every Nigerian convicted abroad to return home to serve a sentence. Any transfer would depend on the terms of the relevant agreement and the conditions governing eligibility.

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